Canfor Follows Domtar on NBSK

Canfor Pulp announced to US and Asian customers that it will increase northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp prices by $30/tonne, effective April 1 until further notice.

NewPage Port Hawkesbury Gets Funding

Nova Scotia announces $14.8 million for Port Hawkesbury mill:

Darrell Dexter, the Premier of Nova Scotia, is in Port Hawkesbury at this hour, making a funding announcement for the idled Port Hawkesbury Supercalendered paper mill. It includes a total of $14.8 in funding. $5.8 million of the total will be used to maintain the mill’s hot idle until a sale of the mill to Pacific West Commercial Corp. is complete.

Cataloguers' Take on USPS Plan

http://www.retailonlineintegration.com/article/catalogers-offer-mixed-reactions-to-usps-5-year-profitability-plan/1

Catalogers were hopeful yet still cautious regarding the proposals laid out in the U.S. Postal Service's five-year business plan, which was presented by Postmaster General and CEO Patrick Donahoe 

Group Publisher Leaves American Media

http://www.adweek.com/print/138945

Diane Newman, who had people buzzing over her weeks-long absence from tabloid and fitness publisher American Media, has now left the company.

Print Media Still Favorite

Print Media Still Preferred by Execs for Biz & Trade Info: The majority of surveyed global senior executives continue to read business and trade information in printed formats.

Domtar Raises NA NBSK Price

Domtar informed North American customers today that it will increase prices on northern bleached softwood kraft by $30/tonne, effective April 1.

Smart Paper Hamilton Mill Bought

http://www.oxfordpress.com/news/city-agrees-to-buy-smart-paper-complex-1343893.html

The city of Hamilton, Ohio will use taxpayer money to purchase the 42.9-acre SMART Paper complex in hopes of attracting another paper manufacturer, keeping valuable jobs in the area, officials said.

Law Keeps Duties on Chinese Coated Paper

NewPage Applauds Bill Passed That Will Apply Tariffs to China: President Obama signed the legislation passed by the U.S. House and Senate that will allow the Department of Commerce to continue to apply the countervailing duty law to non-market economy countries like China. This legislation will preserve intact the countervailing duty order in place covering coated paper.

Direct Mail Delivers Strongest ROI

Direct Mail Delivers Strongest ROI for B2C: Direct mail is the channel cited most by B2C direct response marketers as delivering the strongest ROI for customer contact, retention, and acquisition, according to a Target Marketing survey.

DMA Reports Q4 Growth

DMA: Marketers report growth in 2011 Q4: U.S. marketers reported positive results in both revenue and profits in the fourth quarter of 2011, according to a report from the Direct Marketing Association.

Conde Nast Offers Metrics for Digital

Conde Nast to Issue Ten-Week Digital Edition Readership Metrics: While tablet editions clearly present a bright opportunity for magazine publishers and their advertisers alike, the value has been difficult to quantify. Now, Conde Nast will begin to offer its advertisers readership reports on a 10-week cycle, as first reported by Ad Age.

NA Ad Spending Forecast Up

North American advertising spend to increase in 2012: North American advertising spend is projected to increase 3.6% to $171 billion in 2012, said Jonathan Barnard, head of publications at ZenithOptimedia.

Encyclopedia Britannica Ends Print Version

Encyclopedia Britannica to Stop Printing Books: Encyclopedia Britannica will cease production of its iconic multi-volume book sets after 244 years. Britannica usually prints a new set of the tomes every two years, but 2010's 32-volume set will be its last. Instead, the company will focus solely on its digital encyclopedia and education tools.

NewPage Reports 2011 Results

http://investors.newpagecorp.com/index.php?s=43&item=211

Net sales for 2011 were $3,502 million compared to $3,596 million for 2010, a decrease of $94 million or 3%. Net sales were affected primarily by higher paper prices, more than offset by lower sales volume. Net income (loss) was $(524) million in 2011 compared to $(693) million in 2010.

Strong Support for UFS Price Increase

Suppliers accounting for more than 80% of North American uncoated freesheet (UFS) paper capacity have set $30-60/ton price increases mainly on offset rolls and envelope paper effective in April.

AF&PA Reports February P&W Shipments

According to the American Forest & Paper Association's February 2012 Printing-Writing Preliminary Shipments Report, total printing-writing paper shipments increased 2% in February compared to February 2011. Coated mechanical paper shipments increased the most out of the four grades, up 4% compared to last February.

2011 U.S. Ad Spending Up 0.8%

U.S. ad spending increased 0.8% in 2011: Advertising spending in the U.S. totaled $144.0 billion last year, an increase of 0.8% over the previous year, according to data released by Kantar Media. Ad spending declined in the fourth quarter, dipping 1.0%, Kantar said.

The Return of Collier's

Collier’s Attempts Comeback: Despite a perilous publishing environment, John Elduff purchased shuttered print property Collier’s Magazine at an auction two years ago. The magazine returned with a February/March 2012 edition.

Transcontinental Reports Q1 Results

Transcontinental Releases First Quarter Results: MONTREAL—March 13, 2012—Transcontinental’s Inc. revenues decreased by four percent in the first quarter, from $514.8 million to $495.9 million.

Flint Announces Price Increase

Flint Group Raises Prices on Coldset Black Inks: Flint Group North America has announced a price increase on black coldset inks, effective April 1, 2012, subject to existing contracts. Prices will increase by US$0.04 per pound (CAD$0.09 per kilo) for black coldset inks used to print newspapers, directories, books and web-coldset commercial applications.